A windsurfer who was brought to shore after getting into difficulty in the sea has died, the RNLI has confirmed.

The man, who has not been named, was pulled from the sea at Redcar, Cleveland, yesterday.

This afternoon, a RNLI spokesman said: " It is with great sadness that we have learned this afternoon that the windsurfer rescued yesterday has not survived his ordeal.

"Our condolences go to his family and friends and our thoughts are with everyone involved in this sad event."

The institute said b oth its lifeboats from Redcar were launched at about 2.15pm after the alarm was raised by a member of the public who saw a kitesurfer attempting to bring the windsurfer to shore and carry out resuscitation.

It said the kitesurfer who tried to save the man's life was an off-duty Cleveland firefighter.

Two crew members from the Atlantic 85 class lifeboat Leicester Challenge III entered the sea and brought the windsurfer ashore and began resuscitation, the spokesman said.

The windsurfer was taken to James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, but died later.